


To Ensure Survival

by Rennaren



Category: Hakuouki
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene, Sannan route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-10
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2020-02-28 09:33:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18753706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rennaren/pseuds/Rennaren
Summary: When Sannan stabbed him in the chest during their battle, Heisuke had not expected to survive. Especially as he fell to the ground, choking on the blood that was rising in his throat while he fought for breath. Imagine Heisuke's surprise when he found himself awake an unknown amount of time later, with his chest covered in bandages, staring at the ceiling above him.





	To Ensure Survival

After Chizuru had fainted at the sight of Heisuke’s apparent murder, the area in front of Kan’ei Temple’s gate had quickly fallen silent save for the restless, eager murmuring of the handful of Furies that ringed the scene, anticipating making a meal of the fallen corpse. Also within moments of Heisuke’s body having fallen to the ground Sen and Kimigiku had retreated, somewhat reluctantly and only at the latter’s strong urging as she had all but dragged her protesting companion from the area. 

Sighing Sannan flicked Heisuke’s blood from his sword with a sharp motion, wiping the remainder of the blade clean before sliding it into its sheath and shifting his gaze to Kodo. The older man stood watching with a smirk, his gaze moving away after a moment to glance at Heisuke’s fallen form before shifting his attention to the Furies that waited nearby. As Kodo opened his mouth to grant his Furies permission to feed Sannan moved toward the elder man, stepping forward over Heisuke, placing himself between them.

“Please wait Kodo-san.” called Sannan interrupting Kodo before he was able to voice his order. 

Frowning Kodo turned toward Sannan, his brows drawing together as he lowered the hand he had half raised in preparation to wave his Furies forward. “You have some objection?” asked Kodo as he raised his eyebrows in an expression of mock surprise.

Sannan’s eyes narrowed in a frown in response to Kodo’s reaction as he hesitated for a moment, considering his options. What he was about to do would likely compromise his position slightly, after all of the efforts he had made to assure Kodo of his loyalty, but it seemed there was no help for it. Especially given the necessity of acting with haste in the current situation, before anything else had a chance to happen that might alter it further. “That is unnecessary. …Allow me to see to the disposal of the body.” 

“…For what reason?” asked Kodo his eyes narrowing as well as his expression shifted toward suspicion. “An opportunity to provide the Furies with food should not be wasted.”

Lowering his eyes to the ground, Sannan dipped his head slightly as if in an expression of sorrow, as he attempted to bring forth every ounce of skill at deception that he possessed in order to persuade Kodo of his motive. “…Despite the difference in the ideals that we eventually came to possess,… he still was once a comrade. The least I can do is ensure that he receives a proper burial…”

A momentary spark of something that might have been disappointment flickered in Kodo’s eyes as he looked at Sannan, before being replaced by an expression of scorn. “…It seems you still have not completely abandoned your human weaknesses of attachment and emotion, Sannan-kun.” said Kodo with a laugh that carried a sharp edge. “…Very well,… do as you wish. Perhaps with this last connection severed, you will finally reconsider the folly of such things.” 

Sannan remained standing with his head lowered, watching through his lashes as the Furies were dismissed and Kodo gathered up Chizuru’s unconscious form before returning to the temple with Kaoru. He disliked leaving her in their care while in such a vulnerable position, but at the moment he had little choice besides trusting that Chizuru’s value to Kodo would lead him to shield her from the potential actions of Kaoru, who he had noticed seemed to possess a particularly cruel and sadistic disposition.

The moment that Kodo and Kaoru were out of sight and Sannan was alone he turned, hastily dropping to his knees beside Heisuke’s still form. Pressing one hand tightly to the wound he had inflicted, Sannan bent his head until his ear nearly rested against Heisuke’s mouth and nose. After holding his own breath for several moments Sannan detected the faint sound of breath, and let out a sigh allowing his eyes to close for a moment in relief. For once in his life neither his luck nor his skill had forsaken him, and he had indeed managed to avoid unintentionally inflicting a fatal wound on the younger man. 

Straightening Sannan carefully slid his arms beneath Heisuke’s body, hoisting him from the ground as he stood. Glancing around briefly, Sannan began making his way toward a small unused outbuilding which lay at the edge of the temple grounds. Upon first arriving at the temple he had taken the time to explore the area thoroughly, which had proved to be a fortunate decision as having done so was paying off now. He had also been fortunate in that Heisuke’s fury nature had proved able to sustain him, though it had been a frighteningly uncertain gamble at the time, as he had had no choice but to simply hope that Heisuke had not managed to use up what life span he had remaining to him, before now.

As he crossed the temple grounds and neared the outbuilding Sannan spotted one of the Furies, who had also been a member of the Shinsengumi, patrolling the area. The man’s eyes widened at the sight of them, his expression showing that he had recognized Heisuke before Sannan motioned him closer, deciding to take advantage of the man’s sudden appearance. Ordering him to secrecy, Sannan sent the man to retrieve items from the stash of medical supplies that he had begun keeping, in order to bind the damage that had begun appearing on the bodies of himself and the Furies he had brought with him, as their bodies began to disintegrate to ash.

Approaching the outbuilding Sannan wrestled the damaged door open with some effort, depositing Heisuke on the dilapidated floor inside before going back to retrieve the items that he had sent for. Returning a few minutes later with supplies in hand Sannan set to work doing what he could to aid Heisuke’s fury nature in repairing his body’s wounds as he continued going over in his mind what had so recently occurred. 

When Heisuke had suddenly appeared he had been astonished, as Chizuru’s presence alone had been unexpected enough, even without that of her companions as well. In the moments afterward Sannan had quickly realized how significantly their arrivals had complicated things, and found his mind racing as he attempted to come up with some way of mitigating the effect that it had on his plans, even as he felt that things were beginning to spiral dangerously out of his control. Subduing Heisuke had been among his first priorities as the younger man was unlikely to be swayed into willingly joining Kodo or allowing himself to be taken prisoner without a fight, and therefore stood the greatest chance of meeting an unfortunate end by Kodo’s orders. In the moment, the actions he had taken had been the best idea he could come up with on such short notice, in order to protect everyone. 

Pausing for a moment as he tied off the end of the bandages covering Heisuke’s chest, Sannan frowned. While he was uncertain if Kodo was actually aware of Heisuke’s status as a Fury, there were elements of their conversation during the fight that could potentially have revealed it, though Sannan had attempted to keep his own statements vague enough that he would be able to pass them off as referring to Heisuke’s potential should he choose to become a Fury, rather than his present state of being, if need be. Still, if Kodo had suspected Heisuke’s true nature, his reaction in letting Sannan take Heisuke’s body away, without making certain that he was dead was odd. It was something which bore keeping an extra level of caution in his dealings with the man from here forward. Additionally, what had taken place forced him to alter his plans accordingly, necessitating the dropping of some, and the acceleration of others.

Above all else though, Sannan had been grateful that Heisuke had not revealed himself as a Fury during their fight, as it certainly would have compromised his hastily implemented plan entirely. Though stabbing Heisuke during their battle had been a difficult choice to make, and equally so to follow through on. Lowering his head Sannan rested his hand for a moment on the bandages that he had just finished wrapping as he voiced a low murmur. “…Forgive me, Toudou-kun…” 

Rising from the floor, Sannan removed Heisuke’s weapons from his possession, concealing them nearby. While he hesitated to leave the younger man unarmed in their present situation, he had few other ways of ensuring that he would have a chance to attempt to explain himself when Heisuke woke up otherwise, given the level of suspicion that he and the others had shown toward him before his departure from the Shinsengumi. That done Sannan made his way out the door, latching it closed behind him.

**~~~~~~**

Blackness was the first thing to meet Heisuke’s vision as his eyes slid groggily open, leaving him with the feeling of floating in limbo even though he could feel the firmness of the floor under his back. As his eyes adjusted over the next several minutes, allowing him to see tiny streams of light filtering through slits between the panels of the walls around him, Heisuke’s mind began to clear as well. Suddenly remembering what had been going on right before he passed out, Heisuke sat up quickly then doubled over as the pain of being stabbed made itself known.

“Ah! ….Ow!” groaned Heisuke as he pressed his forearms to his chest, feeling sweat starting to bead on his forehead. “…Man, that hurts…” 

Slumping back down onto the pillow his head had been resting on Heisuke lay panting for several minutes with his eyes closed as he waited for the pain his movements had caused to subside. Opening his eyes again as the pain eased, Heisuke started to sit up, this time more slowly. Looking around the room Heisuke’s eyes narrowed slightly as he took in his surroundings, trying to figure out where he was and how much time had passed. One thing he did know was that it had been hours at least, since the light that leaked into the room had changed from night to that of late afternoon. Glancing down at the thin blanket that had pooled in his lap and the bandages that wrapped his chest Heisuke also decided that whoever it was had had at least some concern about his well-being. Since they had not only taken care of his injuries and tried to make him comfortable, but he could also see his shirt and vest folded nearby, even though his swords were missing.

Deciding that he was ready to try moving around more, Heisuke carefully levered himself to his feet, keeping one hand pressed to the wound in his chest to try to make it hurt less as he stood and started to walk around the small room. Moving toward the door Heisuke tried it first, only to find that it was locked from the outside. 

“…So whoever brought me here, wherever this is, wants to keep me trapped too.” muttered Heisuke, his frown returning. If he used his Fury strength he thought he could probably manage to break out, since it looked like the place was pretty old and rundown. The problem was that if he did, Heisuke had no idea of what might happen if he tried to escape or where he would find himself after bursting through to the other side of his makeshift prison. In spite of the care he had been given, the fact that he was locked in was enough to make him suspicious and wary.

Going over to where his shirt and vest were Heisuke carefully bent down to pick them up, gritting this teeth against the pain as he slid his arms into both the sleeves of his shirt and the arm holes of the vest before buttoning them up. Moving his fingers upward once his buttons were fastened, Heisuke rested his fingers over the hole left from where Sannan’s blade had impaled him, glancing down briefly at the dried blood that stained the fabric, before moving his fingers slightly over to rest above his heart. It had been a close thing. If Sannan’s sword had penetrated his body even a couple of inches from where it had, it would have killed him for sure. As it was, had he still been human, Heisuke knew he would probably be dead right now.

Closing his eyes as his fingers clenched in the fabric of his clothes Heisuke gritted his teeth once more, though this time not from physical pain. _…Sannan-san…_ thought Heisuke as a feeling of despair and betrayal washed over him. 

That was the real problem in this situation. When Hijikata had first ordered him to stay behind to try to locate Sannan and to watch over Chizuru, Heisuke had understood even though the order had rankled some part of him. After all the suspicion Sannan’s actions and words had raised among the Shinsengumi’s leadership was strong, between his talk of approaching Kodo to continue research into the Furies and having been caught actually aiding the Demon, Amagiri, regardless of the reason for it. Still even as time passed with no sign of the older man Heisuke had held out a flicker of hope that the suspicion against Sannan would ultimately prove to be unfounded. At least that had been the case until now.

He had begun following Chizuru as she searched for Sannan, in the hope that she might somehow succeed where he had failed until now, as it also fit in with his secondary mission of watching over her. So that night when she had left with Princess Sen and Kimigiku, he had followed at a distance making sure to stay well out of sight, noticing that the three of them acted as if they were onto something. As the trio had neared Kan’ei temple he had briefly lost track of them, having had to hide and then fight in order to avoid being captured by some of the Furies that patrolled the temple grounds. When he had finally caught up to the group Heisuke had been horrified to find not only Kodo and Kaoru, but Sannan as well, engaged in battle with the women as they tried to take them captive while voicing threats of the fates that were planned for Chizuru and the other two. Overwhelmed by a fit of rage and betrayal Heisuke had burst from his hiding place with a scream to attack Sannan as he moved to engage Chizuru. He had always looked up to Sannan, had respected him for his wisdom and level headedness, so then as they battled Heisuke had felt as if he were being torn in two. Caught between his love and respect for the man he had felt he once knew, and the treacherous villain that now confronted him. 

Letting himself drop slowly down to kneel on the floor Heisuke slumped forward to rest his forehead against the wall in front of him, sighing as his arms fell limply into his lap. And at the end of it all Sannan had stabbed him, leaving him either for dead or at best to an uncertain fate. Or perhaps Sannan himself was the one holding Heisuke captive, while he and Kodo inflicted who knew what punishments on Chizuru and the others, if they had not managed to escape after he had fallen.

 _Chizuru…_ The urge to go to her immediately and rescue her from whatever she might be suffering was strong, enough so that Heisuke had to stop to breathe and calm himself before allowing his thoughts to continue. Unlike in the past, this time he was alone, without Shinpachi, Sanosuke or any of his other friends in the Shinsengumi to back him up. He had to calm down and think rationally. To try and come up with some sort of plan, especially if he was going to be up against not only Kodo and his Furies, but Sannan as well. 

Reopening his eyes as he lifted his chin, straightening away from the wall, Heisuke looked around the room again this time more purposefully. Regardless of what plans he might make, Heisuke knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, to defend himself or protect anyone else without some sort of weapon. And since his swords were absent, he would have to make do as best he could with using something else in their place. Spotting a pitcher and cup sitting near where he had been laying while unconscious, Heisuke got up, making his way over to where they were.

Peering into the pitcher Heisuke saw that it was filled with water, which served to remind him of just how thirsty he was after losing so much blood. Thankfully it was only normal, physical thirst that plagued him at the moment, though Heisuke figured that an attack of bloodlust was not far away with the injury he had suffered. Hesitating, Heisuke licked his lips in a pitiful attempt to moisten them before giving into his thirst, and pouring a portion of the pitcher’s contents into the cup that had been provided. 

After smelling the water and examining it closely Heisuke took a cautious sip. He had no way of being certain that there wasn’t something in the water that might knock him out or otherwise incapacitate him, but at the moment he felt he had little choice between risking it, or hoping that he was able to find something to drink which he could be sure was safe in a reasonable amount of time. In spite of being a Fury, Heisuke knew he wouldn’t be able to go without water indefinitely. Several minutes passed before Heisuke decided that the provided water seemed to be safe enough, and took a larger sip, drinking about half the cup before filling it to the brim once more. Then picking up the pitcher in both hands Heisuke closed his eyes, listening closely to his surroundings for a few minutes to make sure that no one was nearby, before twisting his body to hurl the pitcher toward the far wall, shattering it. 

With how quiet it had been, the sound of the pitcher breaking felt like it was especially loud, the pieces of it crashing to the floor as the water it had held rained down as well. Getting to his feet Heisuke went over to where it had fallen, looking over the shards before selecting one that seemed to be the largest and sharpest. Using a strip torn from his blanket, Heisuke wrapped the wider portion of the shard, to make it easier to grip and to protect his hand from damage while using it. 

When he was done Heisuke settled down to wait and think, gripping the shard tightly in one hand. As hard as doing so was, until he had some sort of plan or knew more about what was going on, it seemed like his best option. At least for now.

**~~~~~~**

Hours passed as Heisuke waited, and the attack of bloodlust Heisuke had been expecting had hit him a while ago, leaving him feeling drained for a time after it had passed. Luckily for him, whoever it was that had taken his weapons had at least left him with the medicine Sannan and Chizuru had made, based on the research left behind by Kodo, to help with the Furies’ bloodlust which he carried. It allowed him to get through the fit by biting down on the knuckles of one hand to muffle any sound he might have made, until the pain had stopped.

Evening had arrived before Heisuke detected any signs of movement outside, and he hurriedly lay down where he had been. As the footsteps outside came closer he pulled the blanket up over his shoulder, gripping the shard beneath its cover, while pretending to be asleep. As the door was unlatched Heisuke opened his eyes to mere slits, peering between his eyelashes at the person who stood in the open doorway.

As he entered the room Sannan paused, picking up on the sensation of being watched as he pulled the door closed behind him. “…Ah, Toudou-kun… you’re awake.” said Sannan, allowing a small smile to come to his lips. Turning to deposit the bundle he was carrying on the floor beside the door, a sudden rustle of flurried movement caught Sannan’s attention, but before he was able to react to it he was shoved forward roughly to be pinned from behind against the frame of the door. 

When Sannan turned away Heisuke burst from his blanket, lunging forward to shove Sannan against the wall beside the door using enough power to drive a slight, forced grunt from the older man as he held him there, with the point of his shard of broken pottery pressed against the back of Sannan’s neck. 

“…What have you done with Chizuru and the others?! Where are you keeping them?” gritted out Heisuke as he braced his forearm against Sannan’s back to hold him in place and hopefully keep him from resisting or fighting back. 

Feeling the jagged point of Heisuke’s makeshift weapon digging into the flesh at the back of his neck Sannan froze, a single huff of laughter slipping from his lips as his brow creased. Taking into account their last encounter Heisuke’s actions were far from surprising, though Sannan had hoped that he would manage to return soon enough to be there when Heisuke woke so that he could begin his explanation for what had taken place before Heisuke had recovered sufficiently to be capable of moving around enough to attack. Being careful not to move in a way that might be considered sudden or provocative Sannan slowly turned his head slightly, trying to look at Heisuke out of the corner of his eye before he began speaking. “…I assure you Toudou-kun, to the best of my knowledge they are well. Nothing untoward has happened to any of them.” 

Sannan’s brief chuckle filled Heisuke with a fresh surge of anger and hurt. “…W-why should I believe anything you say now?” shouted Heisuke feeling his eyes start to sting. The hand pressing the shard to the back of Sannan’s neck shook for a moment before he was able to steady it. 

“Toudou-kun… If you will permit me to move I shall return your weapons to you.” began Sannan as he slowly raised his arms away from his sides slightly, both in a placating gesture and to make it clear that he was not preparing for an attack. “…As well as provide you with an explanation for what occurred.” 

Sannan held his breath as he felt the object in Heisuke’s hand prick sharply at the back of his neck, perhaps drawing blood, but waited patiently, listening to the sound of the shaky breaths and harsh swallow behind him as Heisuke struggled with his emotions. Finally after several long minutes Sannan felt the edged pottery fragment pressed to his spine withdraw as the pressure on his back also fell away.  
“Okay.” murmured Heisuke quietly as he stepped back, keeping a wary eye on Sannan as he reluctantly lowered his makeshift weapon. 

Releasing the breath he had been holding as he felt himself relax slightly, Sannan slowly turned, meeting Heisuke’s gaze for a moment before the younger man broke the contact. Still moving cautiously to avoid arousing Heisuke’s suspicion further, Sannan went to retrieve Heisuke’s swords from where he had hidden them, handing the weapons over before lowering himself to sit on the floor. 

Watching Sannan closely as the older man returned his weapons and sat down, Heisuke let the piece of shattered pitcher fall to the floor with a soft clatter. He took a moment to return the sheathed blades to his belt before cautiously sitting down as well, keeping a good distance between himself and Sannan, hopefully giving him time to react in case Sannan made any sudden moves. Heisuke sat with his wrist hooked over the hilt of his sword, leaving him ready to unsheathe it quickly, as he studied Sannan suspiciously. “Talk.” He ordered after a few moments, thrusting his chin out in a nod. 

“…First, allow me to apologize for the harm I inflicted on you Toudou-kun…” began Sannan allowing a trace of genuine remorse to color his expression. “In the moment, it was the only way I could think of to protect and ensure the survival of yourself and the others while still preventing the efforts I have made from being more thoroughly disrupted by your sudden appearances than they had been already.” As he spoke Sannan lowered his head, tilting his upper body forward as he bowed to Heisuke, remaining that way for several moments before he straightened looking up just in time to catch something flicker in the younger man’s eyes before it was replaced with a scowl.

Sighing, Sannan closed his eyes as he continued, laying before Heisuke the details of his actions since departing the Shinsengumi, the condition of himself and that of some of the Furies who had left with him, as well as everything that he had learned from Kodo in the interval, pausing only when Heisuke stopped him to ask for an explanation or for him to clarify some detail. Being so blatantly open was unlike him, but with how thoroughly he had shattered the younger man’s trust in him, Sannan felt that only utter transparency would give him any chance at regaining it now.

Heisuke looked back toward Sannan as the other man fell silent, absorbing everything he had just been told. Still wearing faint traces of his earlier suspicious expression, Heisuke finally met Sannan’s gaze for a moment of his own accord, before looking away once more. “…So the murders in Edo, and the ones we heard about at Kyoto, they were Kodo’s Furies all along… And the reason you left was to try to find a cure to save the rest of the Fury Corps. …You never meant to betray us after all?” muttered Heisuke, the contemplative words carrying with them a faint questioning tone. 

“Yes.” confirmed Sannan with slight nod. Not everything he had done while in Kodo’s company had been entirely honorable, but even so the members of the Shinsengumi and the well-being of the Fury Corp who served under him had continued to be the motivating force for his actions. “…Though last evening’s events have forced an alteration of my original plans. However I believe I have managed to come up with something that will prove workable.” 

Heisuke pressed his lips tightly, his brows drawing together as he frowned at the floor, trying to decide what to do. The feeling of hurt and betrayal that Sannan’s actions had caused still stung him bitterly, but another part of Heisuke also felt relieved at learning the truth and at having his faith in Sannan, which had wavered, restored. Still, Heisuke thought that it would probably take him a while to get over what had happened, but for now that could wait. They had bigger things to worry about. 

As Sannan watched, Heisuke’s lips trembled slightly and he blinked rapidly for a moment before looking away to hide his expression as he tried to compose himself. A few minutes passed before Heisuke turned back again, seeming resolute. 

“…So what are we going to do?” asked Heisuke with a determined expression, meeting and holding Sannan’s gaze, as he leaned forward intently.

Sannan felt a slight smile curve his lips at Heisuke’s determination and choice of words. After having been alone among those who he was unable to trust for so long and having been held in suspicion by the other members of the Shinsengumi even before then, it felt good to have someone be on his side once more.  
“Here is what I had in mind…” said Sannan, leaning forward as well, as he began to outline the idea he had come up with, including the roles he had planned for Heisuke, Kimigiku, and Sen. 

 

“…Why me?” asked Heisuke some time later when Sannan had finished explaining his plan, including the part which involved Heisuke being the one to persuade Kimigiku and Princess Sen to participate in it. The role of negotiator being among the tasks that Sannan had assigned to him surprised Heisuke, after all he was very aware that Sannan had far more experience when it came to convincing others than he did.

“Considering what they witnessed at our last encounter, at the moment, I believe the assurance of your presence and that which your own words might offer them will carry far more weight anything I could say.” replied Sannan, his brow creasing slightly as a hint of an uncertain smile touched his lips. “…Additionally, I think it likely that they will return here soon, in order to make an attempt at rescuing Yukimura-kun. However I have been told that we are to depart for Shirakawa Castle shortly.” 

When Sannan had returned to the temple after tending to and concealing Heisuke, he had informed Kodo that he had chosen to sink Heisuke’s corpse in the temple’s pond as the best means of burial available to him. In return, Kodo had informed Sannan that in light of the attack that Heisuke, Sen, and Kimigiku had staged and since they had managed to secure Chizuru as well, there was no further reason to remain at Kan’ei Temple as it had already served its purpose in providing a source of experimental subjects and food for the Furies with them. 

Heisuke hummed and nodded in acceptance after Sannan had been silent for a few minutes, looking like he was lost in thought. The idea of being the one that had to somehow convince Kimigiku and Sen to help them still made him nervous, but he was determined to do the best that he could to manage it. At the very least he had to do everything he could to make sure that they would come to Shirakawa Castle with him inside the timeline that Sannan had laid out, so that Sannan could fill them all in on any changes to the plan that were necessary, and make a last attempt to persuade Sen and Kimigiku if Heisuke had failed to fully do so before then.

“I leave Princess Sen and Kimigiku in your hands Toudou-kun.” said Sannan as he shook himself free from his thoughts to refocus his attention on Heisuke, offering the younger man a slight smile as he got to his feet. “This time I shall leave the door unlocked as well, however I urge you to be cautious in venturing out before we have left the temple grounds. After that time however, you should be able to move about freely.” Sannan added as made his way to the door, preparing to step outside.

“Hey Sannan-san…” came Heisuke’s voice, causing Sannan to pause in the middle of his leave taking. Turning where he stood in the still open doorway, Sannan looked back to see that Heisuke was watching him intently, wearing a slight frown. As Sannan waited, the younger man continued studying him for a few minutes longer before continuing. 

“You’re gonna make sure nothing happens to Chizuru…” began Heisuke the faint frown he still wore only adding to the intensity of his expression as he attempted to discern the honesty of the man who stood before him. “…Right?” he finished, his expression clearing somewhat after a moment to reveal the hint of a hopeful expression, while still remaining serious.

Allowing a small smile to curve his lips in response to Heisuke’s determination to make certain of Chizuru’s continued well-being, Sannan lowered his head in a nod of agreement before stepping fully through the door, pushing it closed behind him. 

All that remained now was to begin work on putting his plan into motion, and hope that nothing further went awry.

**Author's Note:**

> The bones of this story have actually kind of been floating around in my mind for a while, as I thought about what might have happened behind the scenes in Sannan's Edo Blossoms route, but I never really planned to do anything with it. Then after seeing a Tumblr post and the comments on it, I got the urge to actually go ahead and write it all out. 
> 
> So this is my theory on Heisuke's "long story" about how he's still alive after his fight with Sannan.
> 
> I can be found on twitter as [ RennarenofAO3, ](https://twitter.com/RennarenofAO3)or on Tumblr also at [RennarenofAO3.](https://rennarenofao3.tumblr.com/)


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